AMERICA Going, Going...

What has happened to America since the postwar era of the late 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s? Obviously, there have been a lot of changes-great, good, bad, and worse. There were challenges growing up with fellow baby boomers, under the guidance of the greatest generation. But we were taught to expect and even welcome roadblocks in life, because solving those problems would make us a better and stronger person. I and my peers-male or female, rich or poor, urban or rural-were encouraged to be whatever we wanted to be in life. That the only barriers in our life would be those we created for ourselves. Our teachers started with our parents, followed by the schools and churches. The sources of learning were different, but each played an important role in building the complete person. The preface, twenty-seven chapters, and conclusions in this book identify what I have considered as some of the major issues of today. As I point out in the beginning, this book is not about me (I even personally disdain all the first-person writings out there that are not based on current news). This writing is about the loss of us that has now permeated everything surrounding our world. You will be challenged along the way to make your own decisions about how we arrived at this place and what we all need to do to bring sanity back into a mostly insane culture. Let's return to one of our old adages: "Together we stand, divided we fall." We can and will survive this mess.